33 1 
distributed by the authorities of the Calcutta Botanic Gardens 
and a set was supplied to the Botanic Gardens, Singapore. 
It was proposed to publish a Flora of Perak based on these 
collections, but it was considered advisable to add as much as was 
procurable of the rest of the plants of the Malay Peninsula and 
make the work more complete and useful and this was as well, as 
these three collectors confined their researches to a large extent 
to the mountain districts leaving unknown the flora of the lowlands, 
which contained so many of the important timber trees of which 
nothing was known. 
Mr. C. Curtis who arrived at Penang in 1 884 and took charge 
of the Gardens there, was an excellent Botanist and devoted much 
attention to the trees of Penang and added not a little to our 
knowledge of these, especially of the very important and little 
known group of Dipterocarpea. 1. A set of his plants is preserved 
in the Botanic Gardens Herbarium in Singapore, and the study 
set in Penang. 
Mr. R. W. HuLLETT, Master of the Raffles School, made an 
excellent collection of Singapore plants, obtaining many new species, 
even quite close to town; so little was our flora known up to 1888. 
On the arrival of the present Director he munificently presented 
the whole of his collections to the Singapore Herbarium. The 
Herbarium at this time comprised Cantley’S collections, a few of 
MURTON’S plants and some of Curtis’ Penang plants, and the old 
Collin’S collection, only. The Director therefore commenced to 
explore the flora of all parts of the peninsula which were accessible. 
The forest guards were instructed to bring in what they found in 
flower, and trained to preserve them. Mr. Derry in Malacca while 
employed in Forest work obtained a large series of the Malacca 
plants. Expeditions were made by the Director to Pahang, East 
Coast, Selangor, Johore, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan, Perak 
and other parts of the peninsula, partly on official business and 
partly on leave. The specimens were distributed to various 
Museums in exchange for other plants, the study set being kept 
at the Gardens. No attempt was made to make a general 
Herbarium of the world, as there was no room to store it. Only 
plants which would throw light on the local flora or be useful in 
identifying those cultivated in the Gardens were incorporated. 
Indian, Malayan and Siamese plants were chiefly required, and 
these were obtained wherever possible. The collection of Malay 
Peninsula plants is probably the best in the world, and contains 
a number of types and co-types. Sarawak is also very well 
represented by a very complete set of Dr. Haviland’s collection, 
and duplicates of plants collected by Mr. Bartlett, formerly 
Curator of the Museum there. A number of plants obtained by 
Mr. Hewitt, a considerable series, collected by myself in various 
parts of Sarawak on the occasions of two visits, and an almost 
complete set of Bornean ferns collected by the Right Reverend 
Bishop Hose. 
